Fountain pen filler



Jan. 16, 1934. 7 E. A. RUMMLER 1,943,804

F OUNTAIN PEN FILLER Filed Feb. 25. 19:51

&2:- l y 17 Patented lien. l6, i934 5 Claims.

This invention relates to fountain pen filling,

and provides an ink supply means arranged to cooperate with fountain pens to permit an improved method of filling fountain pens with ink.

An object of the invention is to provide fountain pen filling means whereby the pen may be filled with the pen or ink-entering end up, so that the filling operation will be aided by the weight of the ink, the ink flowing in by gravity, while the air is forced out and floats upwardly through the ink, when the penfilling plunger, or other filling means, is operated. It is also an object of the invention to provide-for completely charging the ink supply chamber or sac of a fountain pen with ink and without leaving any air pockets therein. A further object is to provide filling means which will not necessitate immersing and,

staining the end of the pen barrel during the filling operation.

The objects of the invention are accomplished by a construction as illustrated in the drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 shows in elevation the combination of a fountain pen with a filler in the form of a desk set having an ink receptacle, some parts being shown in section.

Fig. 2 shows the receptacle and pen inverted as they would appear during the filling operation.

Fig. 3 shows the filler in section with a fountain pen loosely supported thereby.

Fountain pens, as now commonly constructed, include in the hollow handle portions thereof compressible sacs with means for compressing the sacs to expel air and permit ink to flow into the sacs from the nib ends of the pens. The common method of filling a pen is to dip the nib end into ink while operating the filling means. The compressible ink sac in the filling operation is only partly compressed and thus only a small portion of the air therein is replaced by ink because the ink flows upwardly according to the difference between the air pressure on the surface of the ink, in the ink receptacle; and the air pressure within the ink sac. In order for ink to flow into the pen it is necessary 'to dip the pen sufficiently far below the surface of the ink to seal it against air and this involves wetting the exterior of the barrel at the very place where it is grasped by the writers fingers in use. It is therefore necessary to wipe the end of the barrel after filling.

The present invention provides means for completely filling the ink sac in the pen by providing an ink filling arrangement whereby the pen and ink receptacle are inverted during the filling operation and repeated pumping actions effected on (El. Ew -4) the compressible sac serve to cause all the air therein to flow upwardly while the ink flows downwardly into the sac by gravity. The sac may, in this manner, be completely filled with ink, the quantity of ink received in the sac by the improved method. being several times greater than with the present methods of filling.

Fountain pens of any usual construction may be used in carrying out this invention, and the filler tube may have ink tight relation to the end of the barrel of the pen, thus completely obviating the wetting of the exterior surface of the barrel with ink. The ink supply container may be provided with a stopper in the neck thereof, having a passageway therethrough into which the pen may be fitted either tightly for the purpose of filling, or loosely when the ink supply container is used merely to support the fountain pen when not in use.

The ink supply containers, without departing from any essential of this invention, may be of various designs and ornamental forms. A preferred form is one in which the pen may be supported in an inclined position as in the usual fountain pen desk set.

With reference to the drawing, a well known type of fountain pen is shown, a hollow handle portion 1 thereof containing an ink supply sac 2 which communicates by a feeder 3 with the nib or pen 4 carried at the end of the handle 1. In filling, ink enters the sac 2 through the feeder 3, the

an abrupt or substantially flat shoulder 12 on the tube or sleeve 11. The latter is preferably slightly tapered at its lower end 13 to tightly fit a central aperture 14 of a stopper 15, fitted within the neck 16 of the ink supply container 17.

The lower end 13 of the tube or sleeve 11 preferably projects somewhat beyond the bottom of the stopper 15 in order that a trap may be formed between the end 13 and the bottom of the stopper. Thus when the ink supply container 17 is inverted for the filling operation any sediment that might be in the bottom of the container is trapped below the margin of the end 13 and prevented from flowing into the sleeve or tube 11 where it would be picked up by pen nib and prevent an even flow of ink therethrough when the pen is used in writing.

In the operation of filling the pen, the latter is screwed into sleeve 11, as indicated in Figure 1 of the drawing, so that shoulder 6 firmly seats against the shoulder 12, then the pen and the ink container are inverted to the position indicated by Figure 2 and the plunger 8 is pressed inwardly several times, thus pumping the air out of sac 2 as the ink flows downwardly from the container through tube 3 into the sac. The air flows upwardly through the ink, the weight of the ink assisting in a rapid filling of the sac.

Contrasting this method of filling a fountain pen with the customary one of filling the pen by immersing the nib end downwardly into the ink andthen operating the plunger 8, the ink is caused to flow upwardly into the sac only according to the extent of the vacuum produced therein by the resilient expansion of the rubber sac. The vacuum so produced is invariably only sufficient to partly fill the sac. By use of the method disclosed herein, the ink sac or ink supply chamber of a fountain pen is completely filled with ink, and therefore, the pen may be used considerably longer before a refilling operation is necessary.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention is herein shown and described, it will be understood that details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of this invention as defined by the following claims:

I claim: l. The combination of an ink receptacle, a closure therefor having an aperture therethrough and a fountain pen fitted within said aperture, said'aperture having a substantially fiat internal annular shoulder engaging the end of the fountain pen barrel and an internally threaded portion adapted to engage said fountain pen to hold it firmly against said shoulder, said closure comclosure comprising an internally threaded sleeve extending through the neck of the receptacle and into the body thereof and formed to receive and hold the pen in sealed relation therewith, said sleeve having a fixed annular shoulder engaging a shoulder on the fountain pen and having its threaded portion spaced outwardly away from said annular shoulder, said sleeve being arranged to stably support said pen when said pen is resting therein and disengaged from the said threaded portion.

3. The combination of an ink receptacle having a neck, opening and a stopper closer therefor, said stopper including an internally threaded, sleeve extending therethrough and projecting beyond the bottom thereof, a fountain pen in threaded relation with said sleeve, and a fixed substantially fiat internal shoulder on said sleeve against which the end of the body of the pen may seat, said sleeve extending outwardly beyond said stopper and formed to grip and support said pen when the same is resting therein and disengaged from the threaded portion thereof.

4. A fountain pen filling elementcomprising an ink receptacle stopper having a tubular passageway extending therethrough, and a substantially fiat annular seat in said passageway for the end of a fountain pen barrel from which the pen nib projects, said passageway having an internally threaded portion spacedabove said seat for engaging a fountain pen barrel and holding it firmly against said seat, the walls of said passageway extending outwardly above the said threaded portion to stably support a fountain pen when the same is resting therein and disengaged from the said threaded portion,

5. A fountain pen filling element comprising an ink receptacle stopper having a tubular sleeve extending therethrough, an annular seat in said sleeve for the end of a fountain pen barrel from which the pen nib projects, said sleeve having an internally threaded portion for engaging a fountain pen barrel and holding it firmly against said seat and being formed to extend outwardly beyond said threaded portion to receive and support the barrel of a pen when the same is resting therein and disengaged from said threaded portion, and a portion of said sleeve extending beyond the bottom of said stopper.

EUGENE A. RUMMLER. 

